The winners of the 2013 ‘Stockport Young Entrepreneurs’ competition will be announced on Thursday evening, 18th July at a special event at Stockport Town Hall.
Around 250 schoolchildren are taking part in the final of the popular annual young people’s event and the winners and finalists will receive their awards from Ruth Badger who appeared in the hit BBC TV series ‘The Apprentice’.
The competing children, aged between 4-11 years, attend 18 Stockport primary schools; each school is given £400 through Stockport School Improvement Service to set-up and run a small business, including for elements such as market research, design, produce, advertising and sales. Each child has a specific role within the ‘company’ such as finance director or marketing manager.
The schools are linked to a range of local businesses who provide business planning and marketing support, supported by Stockport Council.
The climax, in front of over 600 people in Stockport Town Hall, is in the style of ‘Dragon’s Den’ where the entrants will run trade stands displaying their products, with the school’s business links acting as ‘Dragons’ interviewing and judging them.
Councillor Shan Alexander, Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Achievement, said:
“The Young Entrepreneurs of the Year competition is a great opportunity for young people from our primary schools to devise and pitch an innovative project to a panel of judges to show their business potential. The number of teams entering is very encouraging and I would like to wish all pupils the very best in the event on Thursday.”
The schools taking part are: Alexandra Park Primary, Edgeley; Bolshaw Primary, Heald Green; Cale Green Primary; Freshfield Nursery School, Heaton Mersey; Gatley Primary; Ladybrook Primary, Bramhall; Lane End Primary, Cheadle Hulme; Ludworth Primary, Marple; Mersey Vale Primary, Heaton Mersey; Outwood Primary, Heald Green; Queens Road Primary, Cheadle Hulme; St Elisabeth’s CE Primary, Reddish; St John’s CE Primary, Heaton Mersey; St Mark’s CE Primary, Bredbury; St Simon’s RC Primary, Hazel Grove; St Thomas’ CE Primary, Stockport; Westmorland Primary, Brinnington; and Woodley Primary.
The business partners are Assured Events, Beechwood Cancer Care, Beresources, Expd8, Hatters Promotions, HJ Heinz, Lemontees, Lexautolease, Parfetts, the IMA group and Waitrose.